Mechanism for straightening rails, bars, &amp; c.



No. 702,840. Patented June l7, I902.

C. E. WHITE.

MECHANlSM FOR STRAIGHTENING RAILS, BARS, 8w.

(Application filed Feb. 15, 1902.)

4 Sheets-$heet i.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR WITNESSES THE Noqms PETERS cov PHOYQLlTHD,wASNIhC-TUV-, D, c.

No. 702,840. Patented lune I7, 1902.

C. E. WHITE. I

MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHTENING'RAILS, BARS, 8L6.

(Application filed Fgb. 15, 1902.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shaet 2.

WITNESSES i [1v VENTOR 24m 4% m: "cams Farms 00, we' e-urns" msmus'rou,n. c.

No. 702,840. Patented lune l7,l902.

C. E. WHITE. MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHTEIHNG RAILS, BAR S, 8m.

(Application filed Feb. 15, 1902.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet s.

WITNESSES INVENTOR No. 702,840. Patented lune l7, I902.

C. E. WHITE.

MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHTENING RAILS, BARS, 8w.

, (Application filed Feb. 15, 1902.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheel 4.

WITNESSES [NVENTOR fl f to UNITED STATES PATENT. @rFIGE'.

CHARLES E. \VI-IITE, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHTENING RAILS, BARS, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,840, dated June 17,1902.

Application filed February l5 1902- Serial No. 94,286. (No mo To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. WHITE, of Moline, county of Rock Island,and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inMechanism for Straightening Rails, Bars, &c., of which the following isa specification.

This invention has reference to mechanism for handling bars or rails asthey are received from the finishing-rolls and before they are deliveredto the shearer, the object being to straighten and free them of kinks orother irregularities.

The mechanism constituting myinvention is designed to act on the bars tobe straightened while they are on the cooling-bed, and it operates toadvance them over the bed as they are received from the finishing-rollsand to straighten them and finally deliver the straightened bars to besubsequently divided into lengths.

The invention comprehends, mainly, a straightening device movable acrossthe cooling-bed and adapted to successively engage the bars as they comefrom the finishingrolls and advance them side by side in a body acrossthe bed, the pressure of the device on the bars due to the resistanceoffered by the mass of them serving to effectually straighten them andremove the kinks.

The invention comprehends, also, in com bining with this device amovable bar arranged to be temporarily adjusted in front of the bars, sothat during the accumulation of the bars on the bed the first deliveredmay receive the proper degree of pressure.

The invention consists also in the details of construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improvedapparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation on theline Ct at of the preceding figure. Fig. 3 is a transverse verticalsectional elevation on the line b b. Fig. 4is a plan view, on anenlarged scale, of a portion of the appa ratus. Fig. 5 is an enlargedVIEW, partly in section, of a detail. Fig. 6 is an enlarged verticalsection through the straightening bar on the line 0 c of Fig. 4:. Fig. 7is a vertical transverse sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, onthe line cl (1 of Fig. i, showing the rack mechanism for operating thestraightening-bar.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a cooling-bed on which the barsto be cooled and straightened are received from the finishing-rolls (notshown) and over which they are pushed by a pushing or straighteningdevice 2, by which they are delivered, one at a time, over the edge ofthe bed onto a series of transverse rolls 3, whence they are conveyed tothe shearer to be severed into the proper lengths. The cooling-bed maybe of any appropriate construction; but I prefer, as shown, to constructthe same of a solid portion 4 to receive the bars from thefinishingrolls and an adjoining slatted portion 5 to support the bars asthey are advanced by the straightening device to permit of'the airhaving a free circulation around them. The solid portion ofthe bed iscomposed of a series of plates 6, set horizontally and firmly in placeside by side, with their outer edges notched at intervals, in whichnotches are extended the ends of a series of fiat bars 7, set verticallyon edge a slight distance apart and parallel to each other and restingat opposite ends on castings or supports 8 and 9 at the opposite edgesof a pit 10, the con struction being such that the bars bridge the pit,as shown in Fig. 3. The outer ends of these parallel bars terminate atthe edge of a longitudinal vertically-rocking plate 11, which is adaptedto be adjusted above the surface of the bars to form a stop or abutmentor set flush with the surface of the bars to form a continuation of thesame fora purpose presently to be described.

The straightening device 2 consists of a longitudinal bar which forconvenience of de: scription 1 term the straightening-bar, rectangularin cross-section, with a front straight edge 12, adapted to engage withthe successive bars as they are delivered onto the cooling-bed. As shownin Fig. 6, this bar consists of two cast-iron sections 13, provided intheir adjacent faces with cavities 14, which when the sections arefirmly secured face to face form a longitudinal chamber through which acooling medium, such as air or water, may be circulated to counteractthe injurious effects of intense heat. The straightening-bar restsnormally at the inner edge of the cooling-bed in such position that thebars from the finishing-rolls will be delivered in front of it onto thesolid portion of the bed, and at the proper times the straightening-baris advanced across the bed, pushing the bars to be straightened beforeit and subjecting the same to pressure in the manner more fullydescribed hereinafter. The movement of the straightening-bar across thebed is effected by a series of rack-bars 15, jointed at their front endson horizontal axes 16 to the rear edge of the straightening-bar andextending rearwardly transversely, with their opposite ends forked andembracing transverse supporting guides or rails 17. These rack-bars havetheir rack-teeth on the under side and are engaged by pinions 18 on atransverse horizontal shaft 19, mounted in bearings 20, as shown inFigs. 1 and 7. This shaft is adapted to be rotated in oppositedirections to advance the straightening-bar and retract the same, asdesired, and it has fixed to it a gear-wheel 21, Fig. 2, engaged by apinion 22 on a horizontal shaft 23, arranged below shaft 19 and mountedin bearings 24. On the shaft 23 are two loose pulleys 25 and 26. Thepulley 25 is driven in one direction, as indicated by the'arrow in Fig.1, bya belt 26 from a pulley 26on a main driving-shaft 27, extendingtransverselyin rear of the shaft 19. The pulley 26 is driven in theopposite direction by a cross-belt 29 from a second pulley 30 on themain driving-shaft. Clutchblocks 31 are splined to shaft 23 and areadapted by the operation of the'vertical levers 32 to be engaged witheither of the two loose pulleys 25 and 2G or adjusted to a medialposition out of engagement with both. The engagement of the blocks withpulley 25 will rotate the pinions'18 in one direction and advance thestraightening-bar, while the engagement of the clutch-blocks with theother pulley will reverse the motion of the pinion and retract thestraightening-bar, while the adjustment of the clutch-blocks centrally,free of both pulleys, will bring the straightening-bar to a rest. Bythis means the operator has full control over the straighteningbar,being enabled to move the same in either direction, as desired, orrender the same inoperative.

In order that ihe bars to be straightened maybe delivered with certaintyonto the cooling-bed and at the proper point in front of thestraightening-bar, I provide the bed with one or more sets offeeding-rolls in position to act on the bars as they leave thefinishingrolls and adapted to pull them downward onto the bed. Where thebars to be straightened are long and of uniform length, but one set ofthese feeding-rolls will be necessary; but where there are short lengthsa second or a third set may be essential in order to successively handlethe short bars and advance them longitudinally to the proper position.As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, these feeding-rolls consist of an underconstantly-rotating roller 34, mounted on a transverse horizontal axisbeneath the solid portion of the cooling-bed, with its periphery exposedthrough an opening therein, and an upper idler-roller 35, arranged withits axis parallel to that of the lower roller. The upper idler ismounted on a spindle 36 on the end of an arm 37, extending laterallyover a rock-shaft 38, mounted in an overhanging bearing 39, extendingupward from the rear edge of the cooling-bed in rear of thestraightening-bar. A counterweight 40 is fixed to an arm 41 on the rearend of the rock-shaft 38 and serves to hold the idler-pulley in anelevated position free of its companion roll. Pivoted to the arm 41 is arod 42, which extends longitudinally and terminates adjacent to theclutch mechanism, at which point the rod is jointed to a verticaloperating-lever 43, by which the idler-pulley may be moved to and fromthe companion roller to act frictionally on the bar between them.

By means of the apparatus described the bars to be straightened as theyleave the finishing-rolls enter between the feed-rolls, and the operatorshifting lever 43 lowers the idlerpulley onto the bar and presses thesame against the constantly-rotatingroller, which latter will advancethe bar, and when it arrives at the proper point the lever 43 is againshifted, the idler raised, and the motion of the bar arrested. Wherethere are a number of these feeding-rolls, a short bar may be advancedfrom one end of the bed to the other,

being grasped by one set of rolls as it leaves 7 the other and in thisway moved to the proper point.

The constantly-rotating roller 34 is driven by horizontal transverseshaft 44, mounted in bearings 45, with its forward end coupled to theroll by universal joint 46 and its opposite end provided with a beveledgear 47, driven by a beveled pinion 48 on the main drivingshaft 27,before alluded to.

The rocking plate 11, before alluded to, at the outer edge of thecooling-bed, comprises a series of fiat plates or sections placed end toend and firmly secured by means of staple bolts 49, Fig. 5, to atransverse rock-shaft 50, mounted in bearings 51 in castings 52. Thesecastings are extended outwardly and are formed with bearings 53, inwhich the series of transverse rolls 3 are mounted in position toreceive the bars as they are delivered over the edge of the bed. Theplate 11 is adapted to be rocked up and down on the shaft 50 as an axis,and it is controlled by hand-lever 53, fixed to its end and providedwith a lockingdog adapted to engage a segment-plate 54,

whereby the lever may be locked to hold theplate in the positiondesired. When the plate is adjusted in a horizontal position flush withthe upper surface of the bed, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, it forms acontinuation of the slatted portion of the same, the edge of the platebeing notched, as shown, to permit it to work past the ends of theparallel bars on the bed. In this position there will be no obstructionofiered to the passage of the bars over the bed and their delivery ontothe transverse rolls 3. When, however, the shaft is rocked, the edge ofthe plate will be elevated above the upper face of the bed, as shown inFig. 5, dotted lines, and will form a stop or abutment against which thebars may be accumulated as they are pushed across the bed by thestraightening-bar.

In the operation of the device motion from any suitable source isimparted to the main driving-shaft which will rotate the lower feedrollsand the two loose pulleys on the shaft 23. The bars from thefinishing-rollers as they are delivered onto the cooling-bed endwisepass over the exposed surface of the lower feed-roll, and the operatorshifting lever 43 lowers the idler and forces the bar into frictionalcontact with the lower feed-roll, and the latter by its rotation willpositively advance the bar endwise until it arrives at the proper point,when the operator elevates the idler-pulley and brings the bar toarestin front of the straightening-bar. Hand-lever53 is now operated andthe edge of the rocking barll elevated above the face of the cooling-bedto form a stop, after which the operator shifts clutch levers 31 toconnect pulley 25 with shaft 23 and bring into action the mechanism foroperating the straightening-bar. This action will cause thestraightening-bar to advance, pushing the bar to be straightened beforeit and against the stop-bar 11, and therebysubjecting the same topressure and straightening it and removing the kinks. The clutchleversare now shifted to connect the other oppositely-moving pulley and thestraightenin g-bar is retracted to its former position. On the deliveryof the second bar from the finishing-rolls to the bed it is advanced,asits predecessor, to the proper point and is in turn pushed across thebed and forced against the first bar and straightened, and theseoperations are continued until a sufficient number of bars have beenaccumulated on the bed, after which lever 53 is operated to lower therocking bar 11 flush with the bed and the delivery of the bars torollers 3 begins. This delivery of the bars is effected by thestraightening-bar acting successively on the bars from thefinishing-rolls, each forward move ment of the straightening-bar pushingthe last bar delivered against the mass of bars and advancing the formerstep by step, one bar on the outer edge of the mass dropping over ontothe rolls 3 as the mass is thus advanced intermittently. The weight ofthe body of bars is such as to offer a considerable resistance to theiradvance over the bed, so that the successive bars as they are pressedagainst their; predecessors are subjected to a sufficient degree ofpressure to straighten them out and remove all kinks and irregularities.It is seen, therefore, that after a sufficient number of bars have beenaccumulated on the bed by the stop-bar in order to initiate theoperation the stop-bar is thrown out of action and the delivery of thebars to the receiving-rolls in a straight condition begins and iscontinued, one bar being delivered over the edge of the bed as a new oneis delivered onto the bed from the finishing-rolls. A single operatorhandling the clutch and feed roll levers is enabled, therefore, tocontinuously draw the bars onto the bed, straighten them, advance thesame across the bed, and finally deliver them one at a time free fromkinks to the shearer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is r 1. In combinationwith a cooling bed, means for pushing the bars to be straightened acrossthe same, and a removable stop device adapted to temporarily arrest theadvance of the bars.

2. In combination with a cooling bed, means for pushing the bars to bestraightened across the same, a removable stop device and means forsetting the same in front of the bars.

3. In combination with a cooling bed, means for successively advancingthe bars to be straightened across the same, and means at or near theouter end of the bed for arrest ing temporarily the advance of the firstbars delivered; whereby a number of bars may be accumulated and pressedagainst each other by the advancing means,and the accumulated barsthereafter advanced en masse and discharged from the bed.

4. In combination with a cooling bed, means for delivering on the samethe bars to be straightened, means for pushing the bars across the bed,a removable stop device adapted to be adjusted in front of the bars,whereby the bars are accumulated against the stop device, and means forremoving the stop device to permit the accumulated bars to be advancedacross the bed in a body.

5. In combination with a cooling bed, a longitudinal straightening -barmovable thereover, means for controlling the operation of the same, avertically-movable bar at the outer edge of the bed, and means forsetting the said bar above the level of the bed.

6. In combination with a cooling bed, a longitudinal straighteningbarmovable from the inner end of the bed across the same, a longitudinalrocking bar at the opposite end of the bed, means for setting saidrocking bar flush with the bed to form a continuation of the same, andmeans for setting the bar above the bed to form a stop.

7. In combination with a cooling bed, a rotary feed-roller below thesame with its surface exposed through the bed, means for engaging thebars to be straightened with the exposed surface of the roller, apushing or straightening bar in rear of the roller and movablethereover, and means for controlling the operation of said bar.

8. In combination with a cooling bed, a pushing or straightening bar atone edge of IIO gitudinal continuous channels and secured fixedlytogether face to face; whereby the bar 1 5 as a whole will containcontinuous longitudinal chambers made up of the channels in the opposingsections.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 7th day of February,1902, in the 20 presence of two attesting witnesses.

CHARLES E. WHITE.

WVitnesses:

E. M. MITCHELL, GRACE BROWN.

